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Beating me up and lip smacking

My other daughter NEVER did this before so I have no experience with this issue this time around. DD will be 5 months next week, EBF (takes EBM in bottle at daycare and with daddy only). Recently she has become very "active" at the breast. She squirms and beats the heck out of me. When done nursing she puckers and smacks her lips for awhile. She is chewing on anything she can get a hold of, but I feel no teeth (her sister didn't teethe until 10 months).

So what's up? Growth spurt that she's getting impatient at the wheel?
Thoughts? Not worried, just curious.
Thanks!

Proud Mama of Madeline Jade 7/31/09 and Sydney Anna 6/04/12. Married to My sweetie since 2000. Sydney and like crazy while holding down a busy full time job!

Re: Beating me up and lip smacking

I think the beating or pummeling with fists at this age is a way they stimulate the flow. Seriously, the thought occured to me when I was nursing mine at about 10 months age and he used to beat the breast he was drinking from with his fist, and one day I sat nursing while watching a herd of sheep observing the nursing lambs would basically head butt their mothers while latched on, and they let them do it. It made me sure it was not an act of aggression, anyway, but that it served some purpose and the most obvious is stimulating the flow of milk.

Re: Beating me up and lip smacking

Have you ever seen a baby goat headbutt its mother's udder? Er, same concept. I think a lot of babies knead and punch the breast because (a) they are learning how to use their hands! it's SUPER FUN, yay! and (b) it does tend to encourage a letdown. At five months, they are just learning cause and effect, they're not old enough to realize it's actually hurting mom. You can help them learn other kids of cause and effect by stopping a nursing session if it's getting too ouchy. The bitting and lip smacking sounds like it's more likely teething, although it could just be something she's going through right now developmentally. Either way - totally normal. If it is hurting you, just say "No biting" and stop the session immediately. Give baby a moment (or a few minutes) to consider that, and then try again.

You can call me JoMo!

Mom to baby boy Joe, born 5/4/09 and breastfed for more than two and a half years, and baby girl Maggie, born 7/9/12.